Chain tightener and holder



March 27, 1928. 1,663}62l G. J. BOWMAN CHAIN TIGHTENER AND HOLDER Filed March 1. 1927 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

, UNITED STATES GEORGE JAMES BOWMAN, F BARTLE, CALIFORNIA;

CHAIN TIGHTENER ANT) HOLDER.

Application filedMarch 1 1927. Serial n ..'171,s44.

This invention relates to devices whereby chains may be tightened and held ln a tautcondition and particularly to'certain 1mprovements upon the tightener and holder for tire chains disclosed inmy allowed application for patent, Serial No. 123,163,

filed July 17, 1926. I

The general object of the presentlnventlon is toprovide a device particularly adapted for holding tire chains tightened around a wheel but not limited to such use, which device is very simple, strong, may be readily applied and readily removed, and which is so constructed that the ends of the chains cannot possibly slip off.

A further object is to provide aconstruction of this character so designed that it may be made particularly rigid and strong and of sizes which will permit its use under a large number of ditferentcircumstances.

Other objects will appear in the course ofthe following description;

My invention is illustrated in the ac,- companying drawings wherein Figure l isa longitudinal sectional view of a chain tightener and holder constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 0 of Figure 1; g V

Fi 4 is a fragmentarylongitudinal sectiona i view showing a modified means for connecting a chain link to my tightening device;

Fig. 5 is a like View to Figure 4 but showing the other end of the chain tightener with the modified form of connecting means;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing a modified form of hook.

a keeper which is rectangular in cross section to provide a top plate or web 11, a

a bottom web12, and the sides 13. The bottom web 12 is extended beyond the side walls and the top plate 11, and bent up to form a hook 14. This hook has a countersunk aperture 15 and the bottom web immediately beneath the bill of the hook is formed with a screw-threaded aperture 16. A pin 17, screw-threaded at one end to engage in the aperture 16, is adapted to be inserted through the aperture 15 to thereby lock the link A of a chain in place on the hook 14. Preferably the pin 17 is surrounded by'a relatively loose sleeve 17. This sleeve or washer 17 acts to prevent Referring to these drawings 10 designates the upper portion, ofthe hook from being mashed down.

v j 1,663,621 EN OFFICE. I

Operating throughthe keeper is the lon-i gitudinally shiftable member 18, the upper 'r'ace of which is formed with a plurality of depressions 19 constituting vratchet teeth The extremity of member 18 is formed with a hook20 which extends rearward or toward the keeper 10.. This hook is alsoformed with a countersunkaperture for the passage of a screw .21, this screwfbeing threaded at its lower end for engagement in an aperture formed in the b0 the bill and also surrounding this screwthreaded pin 21 is a sleeve 21 of the same character, and for the same purpose as sleeve 17. This hook engages chain.

The upper'face of the keeper 10 is formed.

with a longitudinally extending depression 22 and mounted in this depression is the spring latch or pawl 23. end of the upper wall or web 11 has an upwardly extending integral stud 24 and the spring 23 isifitted over this stud and the stud overturned upon the spring. The fact 1 dy of the hook beneath,

the link B of the Preferably one that this spring is disposed within a depression prevents the laterally.

is formed with a detent tooth 25 which exspring from swinging; The free extremity of the spring tends downward through anaperture in the upper web 11, this detenttooth being-bev' eled so as to permit the inward movement I of the member 11 but revent the outward movementot this mem er until the spring is lifted;

For the purpose of lifting the spring I form one wall of the recess within. which the spring is disposed with a depressionjor cut away portion 26 into which a screwdriver or tapered punch or like implement may be inserted beneath the free end of the;

spring to raise it. i

The operation of this vious from what has gone before. When it is desired to tighten up upon the chain and; draw the two ends of the chain towards each other and hold them in this position, the end links of the chain are engaged with the hooks 14 and 20 and then the members 10 and 18' are forced relatively'towards each otheruntil the chain has been sufliciently tightened. This may be accomplished, as illustrated in my prior application, by means of a chain tightening lever. As the member 18 is forced into the keeper, the

ill

modified method of connecting the parts 12 and 18 to the chain links A and B. In each case the extremity of the part 18 or the part 12' is rolled over upon thechain link so as to form a head 27 so that in this case thefchain links and B permanently connected to the members 12 and 18 respectively,

In Figure 6 I show a modified form of the hoo'k shown in Figure 1 which is constructed precisely the same as either one of the hooks shown in Figure 1 except that the screw 17 is tapered and acts when it is inserted to push the sleeve 17 laterally against the link A to thus prevent any rattling caused by movement between the link and the washer. I

It will be seen that the hooks 1a and 20 or the hooks 27 may be made in several different ways: and this chain holder or look may be made in any size desired or required for. strength. T he construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 as well as in Figures 4 and 5 is such' that the collar 17*"and 21 in Figure 6 willbe crowded against the link so that there will be no noise, knocking or rattling. While 1' preferably form this collar or sleeve 1'?" or 21' of metaha leather washer might be used to prevent any noise or rattling. V

This construction eliminates all necessity of hooking. or unhooking the chain to my locking device and inasmuch as each part is fast to the chain, the two sections of the lock cannot be lost. It will be seen that the two sections of the tightener or look may be drawn towards each other in any manner as, torinstance, a lever may be used for this purpose as is illustrated in my pending application for patent, Serial No, 123,163, filed July 17, 1926, or a pulley may be provided having a hook engageable with one of the links B and a rope rove through the pulley having a hook engaging with the other link and by pulling upon the rope the twoends of the chain may be drawn towards er and formed with ratchetteeth, the extrcmity of the member being bent rearward to form a: hook, and a flat spring mounted upon the one wal'llof the keeper and having a det'entlt oothpassing through the said wall of the'keeper and co'acting with the teeth of said sliding member, the said Wall ot-the keeper beingreoessed to receive said spring and one wall of the recess being cut away to permit the insertion of an implement whereby .the spring maybe raised.

2. A: chain tightener and" holder of the character described including a keeper, one end' of the keeper being extended to form a returned hook, a screw passing through: the bill of the hook and into the bottom wall of the keeper,a sleeve loosely surrounding the screw, a: coacting m'embersliding through the keeper and formed with ratchet teeth, the extremity of. said member being bent rearward to form a hook, a screw passing through the bill of the hook and into said member, and a sleeve surrounding said screw.

8. A chain tightener and holder of the character described including a keeper, one

end ofthekeeper' being. extended to form a returned" hook, a screw passing through the bill of the hook and into the bottom wall of the keeper, a sleeve loosely surrounding the screw, a coacting member sliding through the keeper and" formed with ratchet teeth, the extremity of said member being bent rearward 'tofli orln a hook, a screw passing tlu'ou'gl'r the bill of the hook and. into said member, and a sleeve surrounding said screw, the" screws being tapering to thereby force the sleeves toward the bight ends of the hooks.

In testin'iony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

GEORGE J AMES BOWNMAN. 

